South L.A. man sentenced to 90 months in identity theft scheme

LOS ANGELES, Calif.--A South Los Angeles man was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for his role in an international identity theft and credit card fraud scheme targeting elderly cardholders, prosecutors said today.

Sedrick Bagby, 36, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who also ordered Bagby to pay about $288,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Bagby pleaded guilty in June to a single count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, officials said.

As part of the scheme, British members of the fraud scheme impersonated the typically elderly cardholders and asked the credit card company to send replacement cards to Southland mail drops, prosecutors said.

The callers would claim to be on vacation in Southern California and planned to make large purchases while there, evidence showed.

Armed with fake driver's licenses that matched victim identities, Bagby and associates used the credit cards to attempt to purchase more than $250,000 in Rolex watches and other items at high-end retailers, including Louis Vuitton, Gearys Beverly Hills and Ben Bridge Jeweler, federal prosecutors said.

Another member of the conspiracy, Doren Harold Ward, 37, was convicted following a four-day trial in July of six felony counts, including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 22.